The present invention is directed to the field of portable, light weight lighting devices for drinking vessels, more particularly to a device for receiving an infant bottle or small child""s drinking cup, where the light has a simulated movement to focus the child""s attention and distract him/her from surrounding activities.
This invention relates to a portable and light weight illuminated drinking vessel assembly, such as might be used to receive and hold a baby""s bottle or drinking cup. The assembly, preferably molded in large part of a light weight, semi-rigid foam, means that it can be readily handled by a small infant or child, then washed by conventional means to sanitize same for the next use.
Feeding a baby his/her bottle can sometimes be a tricky task. The baby may be fidgety or cranky, making it difficult for an adult to keep the baby""s attention on feeding itself from the bottle. Many a parent can relate to trying to stimulate or otherwise entertain the baby during the feeding task in order to assure operational success.
The problem then becomes how to entertain the infant while focusing his/her attention on the task at hand. Additionally, the infant can be distracted by siblings or pets in the vicinity of the feeding operation. Most amateur parental entertainers can only keep the baby""s attention a relatively short time, which time is not sufficiently long to accomplish the task at hand.
Many babies are quite fascinated by lights and there are many objects that are designed to entertain a baby that utilize light as a stimulant. A problem with such devices is that with one hand holding the baby and the other hand holding the bottle, the parent is at a hand capacity disadvantage. Light stimulation devices, as attention getting devices, have been used with adult drinking vessels. Examples of exemplary lighted adult devices, such as by the use of chemilluminscent materials, may be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
No. 6,082,866, to Amedee; No. 5,709,449, to Kuo; No. 5,695,270, to Collet; No. 5,624,177, to Rosaia; No. 5,171,081, to Pita et al.; No. 5,056,749, to Saotome; and No. 4,336,574, to Goodman.
None of these prior art devices provide a convenient means to use same with an infant""s bottle or drinking cup, much less offer the needed distraction from surrounding activities that a parent requires. Accordingly, there is a need for a device that provides a light that is capable of positively stimulating an infant and focus his/her attention during the feeding process. Such device must be effectively utilizable by a parent that otherwise has both hands when feeding the infant. Preferably, the device will be of relatively simple design and construction, easy to use, non-disposable, and washable. The manner by which the present drinking vessel assembly meets and surpasses these goals will become more apparent in the description which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
This invention is directed to a portable, illuminated, drinking vessel assembly for receiving a liquid containing drinking vessel, such as a baby""s bottle or drinking cup. The assembly comprises a generally circular vessel receiving housing formed of a light-weight, semi-rigid material, such as a molded foam. The housing is characterized by a base having a central cavity mounting an electrical light and supporting power source, i.e. battery, and a circular side wall extending from the base and terminating in an annular surface to define a vessel receiving recess. Additionally, there is included a series of spaced apart radially and upwardly extending, light transmitting, fiber optic filament segments within the sidewall. The segments are arranged such that a first end of each segment is in close proximity to the light source, and the opposite end of each segment terminates along the annular surface. By the incorporation of a rotating wheel, having radial segments of different opaque color segments, where the wheel preferably includes a separate power source and motor. The wheel is positioned intermediate the light source and the respective first ends. With the rotation of the wheel, whether continuous or back and forth, the assembly has the effect of changing lights. It will be appreciated that as the infant drinks from his/her bottle, the changing light through the respective fiber optic segments will be a focal point for the infant""s attention, thus making the feeding process a more pleasant experience for the infant and parent. Additionally, the drinking vessel assembly may include a second recess, extending downwardly and concentricly with the vessel receiving recess for removably receiving a silver coated, concave reflector member, and lens, where the lens may include indicia or a design to project an image on a remote surface.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a convenient and entertaining device to facilitate feeding of an infant.
Another object hereof is the provision of an attention focusing means for an infant during the feeding process.
A further object of the invention lies in the use of a light-weight, semi-rigid, molded foam to render it easy for an infant or young child to hold the bottle receiving assembly hereof.
Still another object of the invention lies in the use of fiber optic filament segments as a means to transmit an eye focusing light pattern to the infant using the bottle receiving assembly.
These and other objects will become more apparent in the description which follows, particularly when read by those skilled in the art.